Technical Director – Airport Capacity

Company: MOTT MACDONALD
Apply for the Technical Director – Airport Capacity
Location: Manchester
Job Description:

Location

Croydon, London, Birmingham, Cambridge, Reading, Manchester or Southampton

About the role

Our specialist aviation team is based in London, UK and delivers major airport planning and development projects globally. We are seeking a Technical Director who specialises in Airport Capacity Analysis, recognised as a technical expert in the industry.

Key responsibilities

  • Technical Excellence
    • Lead capacity work on major airport development programmes for significant airport owners and operators.
    • Be recognised by clients and within the aviation industry as a technical specialist with world‑class capacity expertise.
    • Train and mentor junior team members, developing their airport capacity capabilities.
    • Progress capacity expertise across all airport facilities and systems, including operational research, data analysis, capacity planning and simulation modelling.
    • Optimise airport capacity by applying new technologies.
  • Business Development
    • Seek and pursue new business opportunities to grow airport capacity planning services.
    • Build and maintain robust relationships with new and existing airport operator clients, influencing key directors to select us as their preferred consultant.
    • Plan and position for upcoming opportunities, converting prospects into projects with high‑quality proposals that are technically and commercially sound.
    • Act as Account Leader / Client Manager for capacity services engagements.
  • Project Delivery
    • Provide technical leadership of capacity and simulation modelling for major airport planning and development projects.
    • Communicate effectively with client organisations and stakeholders, instilling confidence in capacity principles.
    • Act as Project Director/Principal, accountable for successful project outcomes, coaching and mentoring Project Managers.
    • Ensure sound governance, commercial, financial, technical, health, safety and welfare, and realisation of client benefits agreed in the proposal phase.
    • Direct airport capacity projects to deliver quality outputs on time and within budget, maintaining customer satisfaction.

Qualifications and experience

  • Extensive experience in airport capacity, including large‑scale airport development programmes.
  • Numerical fluency, ability to analyse complex systems and direct junior staff in optimisation.
  • Understanding of simulation modelling tools and techniques, able to train and manage simulation modellers.
  • Excellent communication skills, capable of engaging all client and stakeholder levels from board directors to graduates.
  • A degree in mathematics, operational research, air transport management, aeronautical engineering, airport planning, civil engineering or other relevant qualifications.
  • Fluency in English; knowledge of other languages valued.
  • Regular travel to domestic and international clients; willingness to work overseas on major aviation programmes valued.
  • Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications.
  • Experience of using simulation modelling software and managing teams to use them for capacity and demand analysis.

Desired attributes

  • Proactive, self‑motivated, with a learning mindset.
  • Curious, analytical, open to new techniques and continuous improvement.
  • Strong relationship builder, winning new work and becoming preferred consultant.
  • Excellent project leadership and multitasking ability in dynamic environments.
  • Team player, nurturing colleagues and fostering collaboration.
  • Strong communication and interpersonal skills.

Equality, diversity and inclusion

We are an equal opportunity employer, actively valuing diversity and creating an inclusive culture where everyone can thrive.

Accessibility

We support disabled candidates with reasonable adjustments at each stage of the recruitment process. Please contact reasonable.adjustments@mottmac.com for assistance.

Agile working

We discuss flexible working arrangements to support your responsibilities beyond the workplace.

Benefits

Health and wellbeing

  • Private medical insurance for all UK colleagues.
  • Health cash plan for everyday health costs and treatments.
  • Access to Peppy support for menopause experts (UK colleagues).
  • Comprehensive wellbeing programme for you and your family.
  • Flexible salary option to choose health benefits, extendable to family.

Financial wellbeing

  • Match employee pension contributions (4.5%–7%).
  • Life assurance up to 4× basic salary, optionally increased to 6×.
  • Income protection and support for long‑term illness or injury.
  • Flexible benefits: increased life assurance, critical illness insurance, payroll saving, will writing.
  • Annual bonus schemes reflecting business success.

Lifestyle

  • Minimum 33–35 days holiday per year, including public holidays; ability to buy or sell leave.
  • Holiday entitlement increases to minimum 35 days after five years’ service.
  • Employee saving schemes and discounts from high‑street retailers.

Enhanced family and carers leave

  • 26 weeks paid maternity and adoption leave; two weeks paid paternity/partner leave.
  • Shared parental leave matching maternity leave (up to 24 weeks at full pay).
  • Up to five additional days leave for significant caring responsibilities (two paid).

Learning and development

  • Primary annual professional institution subscription.
  • Opportunities to enhance technical and soft skills through mentoring, formal training and self‑development options.

Networks, communities and social outcomes

  • Membership of employee networks supporting LGBTQ+, gender, race and ethnicity, disability, and parents/carers communities.
  • Opportunity to contribute to social outcomes within local communities.

To learn more about this role or apply, contact the recruiter listed above.

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Posted: June 24th, 2026